Man waives hearing in Ranchos stabbing

A Dresslerville man waived his preliminary hearing on Wednesday where his attorney said he will admit to stabbing another man at a Gardnerville Ranchos liquor store.

Confined to a wheelchair and with his hand bandaged, David Lester James appeared in East Fork Justice Court with attorney Kris Brown.

Brown said that in exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors would not pursue other charges in the Sept. 30 attack at Ranchos Liquor.

Both sides would be free to argue at sentencing, she said.

East Fork Justice of the Peace Tom Perkins also imposed James' suspended sentence in a misdemeanor battery that occurred last year. In that case, James admitted to punching a bartender in the face last summer. His sentence was suspended for a year on the condition he break no laws.

James is scheduled to be arraigned in Douglas County District Court on Oct. 31, where he will be asked to enter a plea. He could decide to deny the charge and go to trial at that hearing.

Recommended Stories For You

The incident occurred at about 5:44 p.m. while the 50-year-old victim was playing video poker at the liquor store.

According to court documents, there may have been an exchange between the victim and a woman who was with James. When she left the store, she could reportedly be seen talking to James and then trying to keep him from going inside the store, according to a witness.

Deputies said video showed that James entered the store with a pocketknife in his hand with the blade out, and watched the victim before coming up and stabbing him in the side.

The victim was flown to Renown Regional Medical Center with a stab wound.

Washoe Tribal Police found James on Tribal land. He'd received a cut to the hand, and was transported by ambulance to Renown.

After being treated, James was taken into custody.

Prosecutors say James has a history of criminal activity dating back to 1983. He was accused of setting his neighbor's house on fire in 2005.